Sri Lanka assures UN rights chief PTA will be abolished

Sri Lanka assured the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk that the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA0 will be abolished.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Türk the required legislation will be presented to Parliament soon to abolish the PTA.

The assurance was given during talks held between Türk and the Foreign Minister in Colombo.

Earlier, the Türk also had talks with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya welcomed the High Commissioner and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to working constructively with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

She noted that the recent political transition marks a significant shift in Sri Lanka’s political culture, rooted in a historic mandate received from all communities.

The Prime Minister outlined the Government’s focus on three key pillars: alleviating rural poverty, advancing digitalization, and pursuing legal and political reforms alongside the necessary social transformation and institutional changes. She reiterated the Government’s commitment to protecting and promoting the full spectrum of human rights, including social, educational, health, and economic rights, and emphasized that reconciliation remains a priority, supported by strengthening domestic mechanisms such as the Office for Missing Persons (OMP), the Office for Reparations (OR), and the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR).

High Commissioner Volker Türk expressed appreciation for Sri Lanka’s continued engagement and reaffirmed the importance of collaboration in advancing human rights, democratic governance, and national reconciliation.